19 cats retrieved from Bedok flat covered in pee & poo: 3 found dead inside, 4 fell out of window which raised alarm

UPDATE on Dec. 20 at 5:40pm: This article has been updated with a statement from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).

A series of mysterious cat deaths at the foot of Block 147 Bedok Reservoir Road raised alarm bells in the neighbourhood, prompting investigations that led to the discovery of at least 19 cats all originating from one flat.

In the end, out of the 19 cats retrieved, five died.

What happened

On Dec. 16, resident Reyn Teng came across a post on the Bedok and Eastside Cats Facebook group about a dead cat found at the foot of Block 147 Bedok Reservoir Road.

Little did she know that on the same evening, Teng would come across another cat at the same spot, this time still alive but injured.

Speaking to Mothership, Teng said the injuries found on the cat matched those sustained from a fall.

"The first thought [I had] was to secure and bring the kitten to the vet," said Teng, adding that residents were collectively trying to figure out which unit the cats were falling out from.

An X-ray showed that the kitten — named Tiny due to her small size — had suffered broken hind legs and toes from its fall.

Third cat found to have fallen from unit

On the morning of Dec. 18 at around 7:30am — just two days later — reports of a third cat falling at the same spot were raised.

It was then that Teng decided to alert the National Parks Board (NParks), and headed to the spot to await a contractor to pick up its carcass.

Fourth cat fell at same spot

However, to Teng's horror, yet another cat fell at approximately 8:40am right in front of her own eyes while waiting for authorities to arrive.

The feline appeared to be bleeding from its nose and paws.

Three more cats were seen perched precariously on the window ledge.

Of the four cats that had fallen from height, two died.

Homeowner uncontactable

Another resident had made a police report, shared Teng, stating that while the police had tried to contact the homeowner, the phone number on record was no longer in use.

A Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) officer had to set up a net to catch any other cats as a precautionary measure, added Teng.

In response to Mothership's queries, SPCA confirmed that a team had arrived at approximately 9:50 am in response to concerns about "high rise syndrome".

"As more cats were seen at the same window ledge, our rescue officer set up a safety net beneath the window to mitigate any falls from height," said SPCA Executive Director Aarthi Sankar. 

As the owner of the flat could not be reached, a locksmith was apparently engaged to open the door to the unit, shared Teng.

Flat covered in animal excrement

To their dismay, a "shocking" scene of cats, rubbish, poo and pee greeted them, recounted Teng in a separate post to Facebook group "Sayang our Singapore's Community Cats".

A total of 15 cats — 12 alive and 3 dead — were found in the unoccupied unit.

According to Teng, many of the cats were young kittens, some as young as six months old.

"The condition inside the house was very bad," wrote Teng.

"The smell was horrible. [The authorities] couldn’t open the door or windows so they had to endure the smell and catch those cats in darkness."

Of the live cats retrieved, one was taken under the care of SPCA, while the rest were conveyed to the Animal Veterinarian Services (AVS).

"The cat who was taken in by the SPCA sustained a pelvic fracture and is under monitoring to see if his toileting functions are affected," said Sankar, adding that it was extremely dehydrated.

"The cat is otherwise stable and eating well, although he shows signs of fear and nervousness."

Investigations ongoing

In response to Mothership's queries, NParks' group director Jessica Kwok confirmed that they received feedback on the cats being allegedly neglected in the flat.

All the cats have been removed from the unit.

"NParks takes all cases related to animal welfare seriously and investigates all feedback received. We will take action against anyone who has abandoned their pet, failed to provide adequate care for it, or has committed an act of animal cruelty and abuse," Kwok said.

"Safeguarding animal welfare is a shared social responsibility."

Members of the public can report suspected cases of animal cruelty or injuries to NParks via its website or through the Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600.

Photographic and/ or video-graphic evidence provided by the public can assist in investigations.

Top image from Reyn Teng